ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses the role and contribution of non-Arctic actors, in particular states, in shaping the Arctic law and policy order. It defines Arctic governance mainly in terms of the Arctic Council, the intergovernmental forum focusing on environmental protection and sustainable development. Both Arctic and non-Arctic states take part in this governance, but their roles are defined on the basis of status or membership in the Arctic Council. Arctic states have primary rights and obligations, and non-Arctic states (and actors) that take a keen interest in the Arctic have an Observer status. They perform a significant role through their participation in its Working Groups, and are also included in other processes. Outside of this system, non-Arctic states also conduct Arctic governance on a daily basis, through their role in global processes that influence the Arctic. The Polar Code and Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement are good examples of how non-Arctic states have shaped Arctic relevant policy. A challenge has been their minimal role in the negotiation and implementation of the three legally binding agreements of the Arctic Council, exclusively entered into between Arctic states, seen as exercises in region-building. On balance, it is clear that states and actors can more actively contribute to Arctic governance through their participation in the regional forum, the Arctic Council.
